One of the greatest and messiest of life's inconveniences is a blocked up toilet which floods the bathroom. In addition to the water and smell, disease-bearing fecal matter and urine may cover the floor, thus creating a significant health hazard.
There have been a number of patents directed to toilet overflow control in conventional gravity tank toilet systems. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0196258 discloses an automatic toilet bowl overflow prevention apparatus comprised of a water level sensor attaches to the rim of the toilet bowl, a hollow flexible tube connecting the water level sensor to an air vented toilet tank flapper. When the water level sensor trips, it opens an air valve and allows air to vent out from the air vented toilet tank flapper. Venting the air out of the air vented toilet tank flapper will close the toilet tank flush valve. Thus shutting off water to the toilet bowl and prevents it from overflowing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,893 discloses a system for insertion in a water line to a toilet bowl or urinal includes a housing having a water flow sensor held therein and a toilet or urinal overflow detector held in or formed integrally with the toilet bowl or urinal. The housing includes a normally open valve actuated by the water flow detector or overflow detector to control flow of water through water line. The system may also include a water cleaner cartridge system.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,178,569 discloses a flow control device for a toilet to prevent flooding upon obstructing of a waste outlet of a toilet bowl. The device includes at least one sensor assembly mounted on a rim of a bowl of a toilet or urinal to hold the sensor assembly in a predetermined position within the bowl. If water bridges contacts on the at least one sensor assembly, an electrical circuit is completed, and a solenoid is actuated to close a normally opened valve to shut off running water to the water tank of the toilet. A power source and a valve open alarm system are electrically connected to the at least one sensor assembly and the solenoid actuated valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,604 discloses an apparatus for controlling the quantity of water flowing through a water outlet in a toilet tank comprising a rotatable shaft having opposed first and second ends disposed through an opening in the front wall of the toilet tank, a crank mounted to the tank, connected to the first end and being capable of rotating the shaft through first and second angles when a force is applied to it, an arm connected to the second end, a box-like structure forming a chamber disposed in the tank and including first and second upwardly extending tubes forming first and second ports, respectively, an upwardly extending overflow tube, and a third port arranged to discharge water through the water outlet, the first tube having an axial dimension that is greater than the second tube, a first flapper valve hingedly connected to the overflow tube and being normally seated on the first port, the first valve being movable from a normally closed position to an open position, a second valve hingedly connected to the overflow tube and being normally seated on the second port, the second valve being movable from a normally closed position to an open position.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,252 discloses an environmentally conscious manifold system for a flush tank that conserves water. The system has a flush tank, a box, a first manifold flushing assembly, a second manifold flushing assembly, a flush arm and a compact ballcock assembly. The flush tank has a front wall, a bottom wall, an inside surface and an outside surface. The bottom surface has a conventional tank drain and a water valve disposed therein. The box has a top surface and a bottom surface and is positioned adjacent to the bottom wall on the inside surface of the flush tank. The top surface defines a first hole and a second hole, the bottom surface defines a third hole. The third hole is sealably connected to the flush tank drain. The first manifold flushing assembly has a first trip lever and is attached to the first hole. The second manifold flushing assembly has a second trip lever and is attached to the second hole. The first manifold has a first height and the second manifold has a second height, the first height being greater than the second height. The flush arm has first trip lever and the second trip lever attached thereto. The system needs a compact ballcock assembly, such as Fluidmaster, in order to fit the manifold assembly into the tank. The compact ballcock assembly is attached to the water valve in the flush tank and associated with the second flushing assembly in a conventional manner. Methods for disposing of solid and liquid waste while conserving water, using the current invention are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,788 discloses an adjustable diverter device situated in a water tank regulates the water level in the tank. The water enters the device at one end and a flow exits through a first vent into the tank. A second vent is located at the opposite end with an adjustment valve rotatable in the second end. The valve restricts the flow through the second vent and forces a greater amount of water to flow into the water tank.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,671,894 discloses a toilet control system includes a sensor mounted on a bowl of a toilet near a top rim of the bowl and which is connected to a control valve unit which is fluidically interposed between a water supply tank and the bowl of the toilet. The control valve unit is normally open to permit flow of water from the water supply tank to the bowl, but is closed when water is sensed near the rim of the bowl to prevent further flow of water to the bowl from the water supply tank.
While there have been a number of systems for controlling water overflow, none have been entirely effective. It would be desirable provide a system which effectively modifies an existing toilet so as to allow water to exit a drain port and line.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel toilet and system for preventing toilet overflow.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel toilet system which permits water to flow out specially designed ports.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the description which follows.